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At least 250 dead, 500 injured in Afghanistan earthquake: reports

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At least 250 dead, 500 injured in Afghanistan earthquake: reports


Children receive treatment at a hospital after an earthquake in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad on September 1, 2025. — AFP
  • Early reports show 30 dead in single village: health ministry.
  • Number of casualties and injuries is high, says ministry’s spox.
  • Figures likely to rise as reports arrive from remote areas.

KABUL: Hundreds were feared dead and injured after an earthquake of magnitude-6 struck two rugged eastern provinces in Afghanistan, authorities said on Monday, as helicopters ferried the injured to safety from rubble being combed in a hunt for survivors.

Reports showed 250 dead and 500 injured, said Najibullah Hanif, the provincial information head of Kunar, adding that the tally could change.

The disaster will further stretch the resources of the South Asian nation already grappling with humanitarian crises, from a sharp drop in aid to a huge pushback of its citizens from neighbouring countries.

There was no confirmed death toll, health authorities said in Kabul, the capital, as rescuers raced to reach remote hamlets dotting an area with a long history of earthquakes and floods.

“Figures from just a few clinics show over 400 injured and dozens of fatalities,” ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said in a statement that warned of higher casualties.

Images from Reuters Television showed helicopters ferrying out the affected, while residents helped soldiers and medics carry the wounded to ambulances.

Three villages were razed in the province of Kunar, with substantial damage in many others, the health ministry said.

Early reports showed 30 dead in a single village, with hundreds of injured taken to hospital, authorities said.

Rescuers were scrambling to find survivors in the area bordering Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, where homes of mud and stone were levelled by the midnight quake that hit at a depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles).

“So far, no foreign governments have reached out to provide support for rescue or relief work,” a foreign office spokesperson said.

Afghanistan is prone to deadly earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.

A series of earthquakes in its west killed more than 1,000 people last year, underscoring the vulnerability of one of the world’s poorest countries to natural disasters.





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Anna Cathcart teases big changes in ‘XO, Kitty’ season 3

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Anna Cathcart teases big changes in ‘XO, Kitty’ season 3


Anna Cathcart teases big changes in ‘XO, Kitty’ season 3

Kitty Song Covey is entering her senior year – and apparently, she still hasn’t discovered the concept of “chill.”

Anna Cathcart is back as everyone’s favourite chaos queen in season 3 of XO, Kitty, premiering on Netflix this spring. And according to the 22-year-old star, Kitty may want to consider a yoga class. Or three.

“She just needs to calm down a little bit,” Anna told People magazine. “I feel like Kitty has the most chaos [sic] of anyone I know, and that’s what we love about her.”

“But also, girl, you need to sit down sometimes,” she continued. “Take a deep breath, it’s okay. She kind of always has been [that way], but in a controlled way, I guess. She handles it well.”

Season 3 picks up after that cliffhanger (you know the one), and for the first time, fans will see a summer episode – yes, summer at KISS is officially unlocked.

“I’m finally allowed to talk about that because it’s been a secret forever,” Anna shared. “So very excited and I think they’re going to be surprised, but also super happy. So I can’t wait.”

And it’s not just poolside vibes. “[Kitty’s] making some big decisions in her life and it’s senior year, all of that, so I’m very excited for them to see,” she added.

Translation? Expect romance, identity spirals, possibly tears – and definitely Kitty-level impulsive decision-making.





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Holly Willoughby could be next big digital star after Gordon Ramsay

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Holly Willoughby could be next big digital star after Gordon Ramsay


Ms Willoughby has largely been off our screens since she left ‘This Morning’ in October 2023

Holly Willoughby is preparing to make her TV comeback with her won Youtube channel, following reports of her solo project.

Since leaving This Morning, she briefly hosted ITV’s You Bet! and Netflix’s reality show Celebrity Bear Hunt.

It has now been reported that the 44-year-old is following other stars who have their own channels, including Ant and Dec, chef Gordon Ramsay and rapper KSI.

By comparison, Gordon Ramsay leads with 21.9 million Youtube subscribers, followed by KSI at 17.3 million.

A source close to Ms Willoughby previously told Daily Mail:

‘She is working with her husband Dan Baldwin’s production company Hungry Bear to develop a ‘multi-strand programme for digital platforms’ in a move she is said to be ‘thrilled and excited’ about.

She also has a production company on hand, Hungry Bear, which creates Gladiators and Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and is run by her husband Dan Baldwin.

A TV insider said: ‘This is a massive game-changer for Holly and the wider industry because this show and her channel will be a threat to the main broadcasters, particularly This Morning and ITV.

‘Advertisers are increasingly turning away from traditional terrestrial telly and looking for new opportunities and new ways to promote themselves online — and with a magazine show like this it’s the perfect vehicle. 

‘And if any of the big-name retailers could cherry-pick a presenter who’s an ideal figure to front it, then it is surely Holly.’

Ms Willoughby has largely been off our screens since she left This Morning in October 2023, after she was told a former security guard had planned to kidnap, rape and murder her.





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Ramadan, Eid remittances to keep rupee stable

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Ramadan, Eid remittances to keep rupee stable


An employee counts Pakistani rupee notes at a bank in Peshawar, August 22, 2023. — Reuters
  • Interbank rate stays range-bound through the week.
  • IMF review talks begin under EFF and RSF.
  • Remittances rise year-on-year, dip month-on-month.

KARACHI: The Pakistani rupee is expected to stay stable and may strengthen slightly in the near term, supported by seasonal remittance inflows during Ramadan and ahead of Eid, The News reported, citing a report released on Saturday.

The currency traded in a tight band in the interbank market this week, closing at 279.55 to the dollar on Monday and at 279.47 on Friday.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) team began talks with Pakistani authorities on Wednesday for the third review under the $7 billion Extended Financing Facility (EFF) and the second review of the $1.1 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). 

Upon successful completion, Pakistan would become eligible by the end of April for about $1 billion under the EFF and an additional $200 million under the RSF.

The geopolitical situation has worsened as the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, plunging the region into a new conflict.

The rupee has appreciated by approximately 60 paisa since the beginning of the year, said Tresmark, a platform that provides live financial rates, in a client note. While this increase is modest on its own, it is more significant when considering the broader context, it said. 

The rupee has strengthened despite several challenges, including rising geopolitical risks and US posturing in the region, escalating tensions along the western border, isolated internal security incidents, Brent crude prices trading above $72 a barrel, a steady decline in exports, a widening trade deficit, tariff pressures and a persistent inflation differential with the US.

“Seasonal remittance inflows around Ramadan and Eid are likely to keep the rupee well bid in the near term,” the Tresmark’s report said.

“That said, most economists argue that further appreciation offers limited structural benefit, which makes the recent firmness somewhat counterintuitive,” it added.

Pakistan’s remittances rose 15.4% year-on-year (YoY) in January to $3.5 billion. However, these flows dropped 4% on a month-on-month (MoM) basis. Remittances increased 11.3% to $23.2 billion in the first seven months of the fiscal year 2026.

“Premiums have marginally improved. If costing is tight, exporters should opt for forwards, as rupee outlook continues to look stable to slightly stronger,” it said.

According to the report, the rupee’s stability is not isolated. Several high-carry or reform-backed EM currencies have also held firm despite geopolitical noise, including the Egyptian pound, Thai baht, South African rand, Brazilian real, Mexican peso, and Indonesian rupiah.





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